The watchwords for the Charles Heidsieck Champagne House for this complicated year 2021 are: vigilance and adaptation!!!!
One vintage follows another and no two are alike. After 4 years of exceptionally warm, early harvests, 2021 is on a par with the average, approaching the characteristics observed in 2012 and 2016, with the added bonus of vigilance in terms of health!
A pre-harvest viticultural year punctuated by climatic incidents throughout the year: hail, spring frost, lots of rain from July onwards, resulting in an explosion of mildew (severe impact on the vines).
The frost and mildew caused considerable regional and plot heterogeneity.
Champagne House Charles Heidiseck notes that some areas treated organically were even more severely affected. The Côte des Bar and the western slopes of the Marne Valley were particularly hard hit.
Some growers harvested well below the weight authorized by the appellation, while others did not harvest at all.
Good ripening dynamics, high acidity, degrees at the expected level, Chardonnay ahead of other grape varieties.
Average cluster weights above July's expectations, but very marked regional disparities.
The quantity is not up to scratch overall in Champagne, but there are some pleasant surprises in terms of quality, especially with Pinot Noir, which has a biting acidity.
It's only during the tasting phases of the clear wines for the blends (in November) that we'll be able to get a precise idea of the level of potential of this 2021 vintage.
Having reserve wines at Charles Heidiseick at a high level is also a real opportunity to offset the effect of these complicated years.